Pet people are a special breed. This blog is for anyone who can't get enough news about the animals in our lives.

Pet lady: That's my role in the Miami Herald newsroom. I've been here since 1989, during which time I've had 11 dogs, a ring-necked parakeet, a chicken, and a lizard named Lance. At the moment, I have four dogs, one step-dog, and two cockatiels. A native New Yorker, I came here from Louisville, Ky. I'm a graduate of the University of Arizona, and had a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard in 1988. I have written 309 stories containing the word "dog" in the past 20 years.

March 27, 2008

Free Spay/Neuter Services

HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER MIAMI TO OFFER FREE SPAY/NEUTER SERVICES TO PETS BELONGING TO CITY OF MIAMI RESIDENTS

20 March 2008 (Miami, FL) - The Mobile Animal Clinic (MAC) will be offering free spay/neuter services to pets of eligible low income residents of the City of Miami starting April 8th.

The MAC will travel two days per week to Little Haiti, the Upper East Side, Curtis Park, Shenandoah and Coconut Grove neighborhoods.

In order to qualify for a free spay/neuter surgery, the pet owner must show proof of federal assistance such as food stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, Aid for Families with Dependent Children or Jackson Clinic card.

The MAC is part of an alliance between Miami-Dade County Animal Services and the Humane Society of Greater Miami.

The services are part of an effort spearheaded by the South Florida Animal Welfare Association, a collaboration of animal welfare organizations from Monroe County to the Treasure Coast, that promotes the spaying and neutering of pets.

However, the Humane Society of Greater Miami maintains an ongoing program to inform the public about the importance of this issue. In fact, the Humane Society of Greater Miami seeks to transform the public's perception about pet sterilization, which is paramount to ending the serious pet overpopulation problem in Miami-Dade County.

In April and May, the MAC unit's schedule will be:

April 8, Upper East Side Service Center / Legion Park6599 Biscayne Blvd.

April 11, 15, Shenandoah Park, 1800 S.W. 21st Ave.

April 16, 25, Elizabeth Virrick Park, 3255 Plaza St., Coconut Grove.

May 13, 20, Little Haiti Net Center, 6421 N.E. 2nd Ave.

May 21, 28, Curtis Park Sports Complex, 1901 N.W. 24th St.

For more information on the MAC schedule or other services, please call the Humane Society of Greater Miami at (305) 696-0800 or visit http://www.humanesocietymiami.org/.